MATTHEW D. CLENDENIN
TRIAL ATTORNEY - MANAGING PARTNER
Hi. My name is Matt Clendenin, and here at the Clendenin Law Firm we believe in giving everybody access to the Justice system to make our community a better, safer place to live.
My legal career began in 2007 as a paralegal. After working at several large law firms, I went to law school at Santa Clara University in the Bay Area. In law school, I won Santa Clara’s internal moot court competition and was awarded “Best Oral Advocate” of the entire competition. During law school, I also studied oral argument with barristers at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn of Court in London, England as well as a pupilage at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Since becoming a lawyer, I have only ever done one area of law - representing personal injury victims. I purposefully keep a low case load - typically of less than 12 active litigation clients. This way I can work 100% on every case, spend time with my clients, and always be available to pick up the phone.
I am a “Masters” level graduate from Don Keenan’s Trial Institute. Formerly, I was an instructor for the Keenan Trial Institute. The Keenan Trial Institute teaches lawyers how to best prepare for trial, maximize a victim’s recovery, and defeat the insurance industry.
I currently serve as as the President for the Irish American Bar Association’s board of directors. I also currently serve as a board member with the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD), San Diego’s trial lawyer organization that represents individual victims (as opposed to trial lawyers that represent corporations or insurance companies).
In 2015, I was selected “Best of the Bar” by the San Diego Business Journal. From 2018-present, I was selected as a “Top 40 Under 40” by the National Trial Lawyers. From 2018-present I was selected as a “Rising Star” lawyer under 40 with SuperLawyers, an award given to just 2.5% of attorneys.
In 2022, I was recognized as an award-winning trial lawyer by the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD.org) with the “Street Fighter” trial lawyer award. To be eligible for the Street Fighter award, a lawyer must practice in a small firm (less than 5 attorneys), where a lawyer faces “unusual obstacles, great risk, or difficult odds that he or she had to overcome”.
In 2025, I obtained what is believed to be the single largest personal injury verdict in San Diego County that year with a $13.7 million verdict for a pedestrian who had been hit in a crosswalk. The trial resulting in being awarded an “Outstanding Trial Lawyer” award by CASD. The award is based on obtaining an “exceptional” verdict in a personal injury jury trial.
This year I celebrate 19 years with my wonderful wife Marta Clendenin. We love our two amazing daughters, Noemi and Lucie, who always keep us on our feet. Outside of the office, my passions include darts, cycling, board games, and good company.
